Black and White
by shadows59
Summary: Buffy and Willow hunt Warren after his attack. Part 4 of Finding Heaven
1. Chapter 1

Title: Black and White

By: Shadows59

Summary: Buffy and Willow hunt Warren after his attack.

Category: B/X/Ay, T/S, W/Amy

Spoilers: More altered Season Six up to Seeing Red.

Disclaimer: Owned by Joss and Co.

Notes. Part Four of my Finding Heaven Series. Sequel to Finding Heaven, So Complicated and Get This Party Started.

Chapter 1

Spike kicked the back door open. "What the bloody hell happened out…" He stopped when he smelled a familiar metallic odor filling the air and felt a rush of desire and concern. Then he looked out over the backyard and felt the hunger of his demon die away. Buffy was kneeling in a growing pool of blood between Xander and Anya. One hand pressed against Anya's chest while her other hung lifelessly by her side. She looked up when she heard Spike's voice, her cheeks soaked with tears and he saw something in her eyes he'd never seen before. Terror, absolute terror, and it scared him more than he'd ever admit.

"Bloody hell," Spike muttered and took a step forward, only to jump back in pain when the sun scorched his uncovered skin. "Bloody hell," he said a third time and ran back into the house, both to get help and to get away from the look. He almost flew up the stairs, pausing only to bang on Dawn's door. "Niblet, call 911!" He shouted as he passed by.

Dawn stuck her head out of her room. "What, why? And what were those noises?"

"You're sister's been shot, that's why!" Spike shouted back without turning. "And so has droopy and Anya. So get on that damned phone!" He didn't bother to use the doorknob when he got to Willow's door, he just slammed into it with his shoulder and broke it down.

"Tara, Red we have a…" Spike stopped when he smelled more blood. Then he saw the blond girl in Willow's arms and for the briefest second he understood the terror he saw in Buffy because he knew he looked the same way. Then he blinked and saw Tara kneeling behind Red with her arms wrapped around the witch and the relief he felt was better than any kill.

Tara looked up from Willow and was on her feet the second she saw the look on Spike's face. "What happened?"

"Damned if I know, but the Slayer and her two sweeties are down," Spike answered. "Niblet's calling for help, but you know how quick Sunnydale's finest react."

Tara looked down at Willow with regret and took a deep breath. "Let's go."

Willow shook her head when she finally realized Tara was leaving. "Wait!" She begged and grabbed at Tara's legs. "We can still save her, I know a spell!"

"She's dead. There's nothing we can do," Tara said as gently as she could. A part of her just wanted to wrap her arms around Willow and try to protect her, but she had more important things to do now. It felt like she was cutting out her heart, but Tara followed Spike out. "I'm sorry."

"Please Tara!" Willow shouted after her, but this time the blond witch didn't even look back. Willow sniffed back the tears and pulled Amy even closer. "Don't worry baby. I'll save you," she whispered as her eyes went black and the two of them vanished.

"They're sending ambulances," Dawn shouted as Tara and Spike ran by. She followed them down the stairs with her cordless phone glued to her ear.

"And probably a mess of cops," Spike said. "I can't let them catch me here, pet."

Tara glanced out a window at the almost cloudless day and nodded. "Go. I'll take care of them."

"Good luck," Spike said and gave her a quick peck on the lips before he pulled his jacket over his head and ran out the front door.

"What about me?" Dawn asked as she followed Tara into the kitchen.

Tara pulled the first aid kit out of a cabinet and ran to the back door, her long yellow skirt swishing around her legs. "Find out when the ambulances are going to get here! And stay inside!" Dawn nodded and turned away just before she got to the back door, which Spike had left open in his rush to get upstairs.

Tara ran outside, but skidded to a stop when she saw Buffy kneeling over Xander and Anya, her white skirt stained red. Tara looked over the injuries and knew she couldn't do much for Xander's belly or Anya's chest injuries, but she had to stop the blood that was still flowing down Buffy's arm.

"You two have to stay with me," Buffy whispered as tears ran down her face. "You promised. I can't do this alone."

Tara ran over the grass and knelt down next to Buffy. She didn't notice the blood until she felt it soak through her skirt. She was surprised by how warm it still felt, then she put it out of her mind as she opened the first aid kit and pulled out a long strip of bandages. "Buffy, give me your arm."

Buffy jumped when she heard Tara's voice. "Tara? What?"

"I said give me your arm," Tara said as she pulled off a long strip of the bandage and grabbed Buffy's wounded arm.

Buffy pulled free. "Don't worry about me. They need the help."

Tara grabbed Buffy's arm again. "You won't be able to help anyone if you bleed to death." Buffy started to pull away again. "And the longer you fight me the longer it'll take to help them." At that Buffy nodded and let Tara wrap the bandage around her arm and hissed in pain when Tara pulled the bandage tight.

"What happened?" Tara asked as she reached into the First Aid Kit for some extra supplies, a handful of special herbs and roots.

"He had a gun," Buffy said, well down the road to hysterical. "I – I wasn't quick enough, Tara," Buffy said and started sobbing but didn't move her good hand from the wound in Anya's chest. "I tried to stop him but I wasn't quick enough."

"You did your best," Tara said softly as she wondered who 'he' was. But now wasn't the time to worry about it. "You can't be everywhere. You're not God either."

"I couldn't save them," Buffy whispered. "They saved me and I couldn't save them."

"They aren't dead yet," Tara said as she began a chant in Babylonian and threw the powder mix over Buffy, Xander and Anya. There was a shudder in the air and Xander and Anya visibly relaxed.

"What?" Buffy whispered peacefully as her eyes glazed over.

"Just a little something that should keep anyone from going into shock," Tara said as she looked into the First Aid kit, then she yelled wordlessly and punched it closed. "Damn it. I could heal them if I was a real witch."

"You are," Buffy said and giggled.

Tara shook her head, disgusted with herself. "N-no I'm not. Willow's the one w-with all the power. Where are those damn ambulances?" Tara shouted and looked over her shoulder.

Just then they heard Dawn as she came running around the back with a group of paramedics right behind her. "They're back here!" Dawn shouted and turned to point them out. She took one look at the blood that was everywhere and went so pale it must've hurt. She almost knocked over two of the paramedics following her when she spun around on her heel and ran back to the front of the house.

"We'll take it from here," one of the paramedics told Tara. Tara nodded and got up out of the way. Buffy took a bit more convincing, even with the spell on her. In the end two of the paramedics had to pull her away while the other three split up between Xander and Anya.

"Do you know what happened, miss?" A police officer who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere asked Tara. She tried to look at the man's face, but she couldn't look away from her friends.

She shook her head. "Buffy said he had a gun, but that's all that I… There's another body upstairs," she added in a rush. "In first room on the right."

The officer waved over a paramedic and the two of them rushed into the house. Tara hugged herself as she watched the doctors try to stabilize Buffy, Xander and Anya. She jumped again when the cop came back. It felt like he'd just gone through the door. He had a dark look on his face. "Are you sure, miss? We found a broken window and a lot of blood, but no body."

"What?" Tara asked, thoroughly confused, then worried. "Then she must've…"

Suddenly another paramedic was in her face. "We have room in the ambulance for you if you want to come with us miss, but we have to go right now."

Tara nodded and was racing around the house before she knew it. Everything seemed to be happening so fast and all she wanted was to take a breath to calm down. When she got to the front she saw Dawn kneeling next to the bushes and wiping her mouth with shaking hands. "Can she come too? I don't want to leave her here alone."

"Just hurry," the paramedic shouted as he climbed into the back of the ambulance they'd put Anya into.

Tara leaned down and grabbed Dawn's arms. Dawn jumped away and Tara looked down and realized that her hands were covering in blood. She tried to wipe them off on her skirt as she said, "Come on, Dawn. They'll take us to the hospital."

Dawn didn't do much more than nod, but that was enough. The two of them piled into Buffy's ambulance and watched the paramedic still working as the ambulance started moving. Dawn stared at her sister, who was finally asleep while Tara vainly rubbed at the blood that still stained her hands and skirt. Neither said a word.

Buffy felt like she was swimming in silly putty. Everything felt so slow, so calm. Then she saw something in the haze in front of her and she started swimming towards it. It seemed to take hours before she reached it, but that was all right, she had all the time in the world.

Finally the shape came into focus and she saw Xander standing in front of her. He held up his hands and it looked like he was wearing red gloves, then the glove dripped. He shook his head as the scalpel he held slipped out of his hand and it shattered when it hit the floor and time snapped back.

Buffy woke up screaming. She kicked off the sheet that was covering her and just started to tear at the tubes that were in her arm when hands grabbed her and pushed her down into the bed. She struck out at whatever was holding her down, but didn't hit anything solid. That was when she realized she could hear more than screaming.

"Buffy! It's all right. It's me, Dawn!"

Buffy blinked and the shape melted down into her sister, who was still protecting Buffy's wounded arm. "Dawnie?" Buffy whispered. Her throat was so dry it hurt.

"That's right," Dawn said and looked relived for a split second, and then she collapsed into Buffy's arms. "God, Buffy. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Buffy felt her sister's tears soak into the thin cotton hospital gown and joined in as she wrapped her arms around Dawn. "I know. It's all right," she whispered into her sister's hair.

Dawn wasn't listening, she had gone straight to the babbling with hiccups mixed in for good measure. "I'm so sorry about what I said. I didn't mean it. I love you, and Xander and Anya. I'll never fight with you again. I swear."

Buffy didn't say anything right away, she just held her sister close. Finally she replied, "Thank you. Does that mean you'll stay out of my closet?"

"Of cour… Wait, I don't go in your closet." Dawn sat up so she could glare at Buffy.

Buffy just smirked at her sister, who's frown melted away, and saw Tara standing in the corner of the room with her arms wrapped around herself. She was wearing the same kind of blue pajamas that Ben used to wear when he was at work. Tara was shivering as her eyes kept darting between Buffy and Dawn and the door.

"Tara, what are you doing here?" Buffy whispered as loud as she could.

"The nurses said," Dawn began, then coughed. "When you came out of surgery the nurses said I could wait with you since I was family. Then I kinda told them that Tara was our cousin." Dawn looked down at the floor. "I don't think I could've stayed here alone."

Buffy reached up and smoothed Dawn's hair. "It's all right. Thank you," Buffy said to Tara, who finally turned away from the door and walked over so she could sit at the very edge of Buffy's bed.

"You're welcome," Tara said with an almost smile.

Buffy looked around the room, and realized she was the only patient here. "Where are Xander and Anya?" When neither girl answered Buffy just knew. She could almost see the two of them, pale and cold under a sheet in the same room they'd kept her mother. She sat up, only to have the room lurch to the side under her. That didn't stop her though. She would've crawled out of the room if she had to, but Dawn reached up and gently forced her to lie back down.

"Buffy, calm down," Dawn said as she tried to hold the struggling Slayer down. Finally Buffy shook her head. Dawn didn't believe her right away, but she did let her sister go.

"Dawn, why don't you get Buffy some water?" Tara suggested

Dawn didn't move from Buffy's side for a long moment, then she nodded and got up. "All right."

"What's wrong?" Buffy asked Tara as soon as Dawn was out of the room. "You've got that Lifetime movie of the week look."

Tara chewed on her bottom lip before she finally started. "You were in surgery for nearly an hour, Buffy. But you were lucky. The doctor told us that the bullet didn't hit the bone or cause any major nerve damage. It should be fine for about a month."

Buffy looked down at her left arm and realized with a start that it was covered in a thick bandage that ran from her shoulder to her elbow. It was also numb, but not the pleasant numbness from before. Now it was the kind of numbness that felt like an army of ants, who were all wearing socks, crawling over her skin.

"The doctor thought that the anesthesia would keep you out for another couple hours, but Dawn and I knew better," Tara continued with a miniscule smile. "That's why we wanted to be in here, so you didn't throw some poor nurse through a wall when you woke up."

"A couple of hours more?" Buffy asked as she tried to force away the cobwebs in her mind. "How long have I been out?"

"It's been three hours since you were shot," Tara said simply.

Buffy's stomach dropped out from under her. "Then where are Anya and Xander?" Tara didn't answer. Instead she looked like she wanted to bolt. Buffy wrapped her good hand around Tara's. "Please?"

Tara sighed. "They're still in surgery."

"Oh, God," Buffy whispered up to the Powers she barely trusted as her head fell back into the thin hospital pillow.

"They said Xander was pretty lucky," Tara's voice dripped with sarcasm. "As lucky as anyone who's been shot, I guess. The bullet that struck him didn't do any major damage and he should make a full recovery."

"Then why's he still in surgery?"

"It nicked one of his kidneys, and they're still trying to stop the internal bleeding."

"What about Anya?"

Tara looked down at the cold, white floor. "The bullet barely missed her heart, but it broke two of her ribs and collapsed a lung. The nurse who's been updating us says she has the best doctors in the state working on her."

"But?"

"But they aren't sure if they can save her lung. She should eventually recover, but…" Tara let the sentence die.

"Oh, God," Buffy whispered. "Is this all that I've come back for? To watch everyone I love die?" Tara didn't answer, she looked as lost as Buffy felt. Then the last cobweb cleared and Buffy felt frantic. "Where's Willow? Is she…?"

"What? No! No. Willow's…. Amy's dead," Tara said as she closed her eyes and shuddered.

"What?" Buffy asked in horror.

"What?" Dawn echoed as she stopped half way in the door and the little Dixie cup slipped through her hand and splashed on the floor.

"The last shot," Tara said as she rubbed her hands, even though she'd already scrubbed the blood off. "It – it hit her in the heart. The- there wasn't anything I could do. I wanted to help, but Spike – Amy was dead so I just left Willow there alone to help you. Willow begged me to stay, but I just – I just…" Tara finally broke down.

Buffy was going to say something, but Dawn beat her to it. "You did what you had to. You saved my sister."

Tara shook her head and sent her disheveled blond hair flying. "But now she's gone. A police officer went upstairs looking for her and she was gone."

"We'll find her," Buffy promised as she sat up again, the room lurched again, but this time it settled at a pleasant thirty-degree angle.

"Buffy, no! Your arm," Dawn protested, but stopped when she saw the look on her sister's face.

Buffy flexed her left hand. It hurt, but now she could move it. "It'll be fine by tonight. Being a Slayer's good for something after all." Her voice was bitter.

"Two things," a voice said from the doorway.

They turned and Dawn was the first one to react. "Willow!" She shouted as she ran up and threw her arms around the red head's neck and squealed. Willow didn't react, she kept her eyes locked on Buffy's.

Tara got up, one hand clutching her elbow as she walked up to Willow. "I… I'm so sorry."

Willow didn't flinch. "Don't be. Water over the bridge. Who did this, Buffy?"

Buffy swallowed hard. "Warren. I tried to stop him, but I couldn't."

"Warren," Willow echoed, tasting the name. Then she grinned. "Good. Come on." With that she turned on her heel.

"I can't."

Willow froze as she turned back and glared at the bandages Buffy had on. "Why not? You're not hurt that bad."

"Xander and Anya. They're still in surgery."

Willow actually smiled with relief. "Is that all? Fine. There's something I need from them anyway." Willow said and walked out the door. They watched her turn just as the door closed behind her.

Buffy sat up and grabbed the IV's that ran into her wrist. Dawn looked panicked. "Buffy, what're you doing."

"What I have to," Buffy said and grimaced as she pulled the needles out. She got out of bed and wobbled for a few seconds before she got her legs under her. She walked to the door and only stopped when she noticed Tara wasn't following. In fact she looked even more panicked than she had before.

Tara felt Buffy and Dawn's eyes on her. "Something's wrong. She's- she's too strong." Tara hugged her elbows and shivered. "She feels like lightening now.

"Good. Here's hoping Warren gets scorched," Dawn said. Buffy didn't respond, she just followed after Willow. After a few heartbeats Tara got up and followed.

Buffy, Dawn and Tara caught up with Willow as the witch pushed open the operating room doors. They followed her in, their stomachs in their throats.

Sunnydale's Wilkins Memorial Hospital was one of the few hospitals in America that had to work like a MASH on a regular basis, so insignificant details like privacy got the door. The main operating room was big enough to allow a half dozen surgeries to go on at the same time, but for right now only two of the beds were in use. They were separated by a thin plastic barrier on wheels, to keep the two teams of doctors and nurses from getting in each other's way.

At first no one noticed the odd group that walked in, they were all to busy operating. Finally the woman who was operating on Anya glanced up and saw Willow standing there with a very pale Buffy in a hospital gown and Tara and Dawn right behind them.

"Hey, you kids can't come in here!" She shouted. "Nurse, get them out of here before they contaminate…"

"Leave," Willow ordered, her voice calm. The doctor stopped in mid gesture and put her scalpel down on the instruments tray while the other doctors and nurses did the same. Then they walked, single file, across the room and out the swinging doors.

Buffy almost turned to leave too, even though the spell wasn't directed at her. She bit the inside of her cheek so hard she tasted blood, but she didn't move. Tara closed her eyes and whispered something to ward off the spell. Dawn turned to follow the surgical staff out, but Buffy grabbed her by her upper arm and held her in place until the last nurse passed through the doors and the magic passed a heartbeat later.

"Buffy, what happened?" Dawn asked as she shook her head clear.

Buffy didn't answer. She just let Dawn slip free and took a few baby steps toward her two lovers, the cold tile stinging her bare feet. She didn't see the blood that was everywhere, or the half-finished surgery that marred their bodies, all she saw was their faces. Xander looked almost peaceful in under the clear oxygen mask, like he'd gotten shot and cut open every day. Buffy half expected him to sit right up and start cracking jokes.

Anya looked like she was made of wax and Buffy could hear the oxygen tanks that sat next to her hiss every time she took a breath. Then there was a hand on her shoulder and it all became too much. Buffy spun and buried her face in Tara's shoulder.

Tara wrapped her arms around Buffy without saying a word. The room was silent except for the hiss of oxygen and Buffy's silent crying. Then Willow's high heels clacking across the hard tile floor broke it and Buffy felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up and howl when she walked past. Buffy turned, still crying, and watched as the plastic divider rolled back out of the way as Willow approached it.

Willow waved her hands and the two operating tables rolled towards her like obedient puppies. Once they were close enough she raised her hands above Xander and Anya. At first nothing happened, then there was a slurp sound as first one bullet, then another was pulled free from the bodies they had violated. The bullets rose up and seemed to dance in the air over her hands as she studied them with dead eyes. "So small." Willow shook her head and shoved the bullets into her pocket, then closed her eyes in concentration.

Buffy watched in disbelief as Xander and Anya's wounds and incision marks closed themselves and healed. She glanced at Tara and realized with a start that the blond witch wasn't watching the miracle; she was watching the miracle worker with an indescribable look in her eyes.

"Buffster," Xander gasped out. All thought fled as Buffy rushed to his side. He grinned up at her and reached up to wipe off the tears that stained her cheek. He grinned and added, "This dying thing is no where near as much fun as you made it look."

Buffy laughed and bent down to give him the kind of kiss that would either make him glad he was alive or kill him. Xander leaned up to return the kiss when his stomach seized up. Buffy pulled away in horror when she heard his sudden gasp.

"Still a little sore," he whispered and made it sound like he pulled a muscle, but his face was white with pain.

Then Anya started coughing. Actually she sounded like someone who smoked for the last eighty years and needed to get her lungs out as quickly as possible. Buffy moved like lightening to Anya's side. Xander was up too. He ignored the pain had him hunched over and lurched over to Anya's side. He took Anya's right hand and squeezed down so hard that both of their knuckles went white. "It'll be all right, baby. We're here."

Finally the last of the coughing fit faded away and Buffy ran her fingers through Anya's sweat darkened hair. Anya looked up at them, clearly exhausted, but still managed to force out a smile.

"I thought you made them better," Dawn shouted behind them. Buffy turned and saw Dawn jam her finger in Willow's face. Willow didn't look worried. She just examined Dawn like she was some new kind of insect.

"They'll be fine," Willow said, like she was talking about complete strangers, "in a day or two. I did what I could, but they're only human. They can only be healed so fast. Of course if they were Slayers they'd be completely healed. Hell, if they were Slayers maybe they'd of done something to stop Warren." Willow didn't turn to see what her words had done to Buffy, the muffled sob was enough for her.

"She did all she could," Tara said.

"Sure she did. That's why we're here and Amy's dead."

"Don't take it out on Buffy," Xander said as he glared at his best friend. "You're the all powerful witch and…" He stopped himself, but not in time.

Willow looked briefly annoyed, then explained simply, "I was taken by surprise."

"So was Buffy," Xander replied.

Willow didn't answer, she just stood there and got a faraway look in her eyes. When it faded she was smiling. "There you are," she whispered and finally looked over at Buffy. "I know where he is. You coming?" When Buffy didn't answer she just shrugged and turned. "Whatever. See how much you care."

Buffy felt Anya squeeze on her hand and looked down. Anya tried to say something, but just started coughing again. Xander said it for her. "Kick his ass."

Buffy nodded and went into Slayer mode. She walked up to Dawn. "Can you stay here and keep an eye on them?"

Dawn grinned at being included. "Sure."

"Thank you," Buffy said and went to Tara. "You wanna come with?"

Tara nodded and followed Buffy out. "Someone's got to keep you two from doing something stupid."

"Didn't think I'd find you so easy, did you?" Willow asked as Warren walked down the bus stairs.

"I don't know why you had to go all Terminator," Warren said as he glanced behind him at the bus, which had two flat tires, a dozen shattered windows and motor oil pooling under the engine. Some of the other passengers were crying while the rest desperately shushing them. Then he turned and looked at Buffy, who still had the bandage covering her arm. "I mean, the Slayer's only got a boo boo. No harm no foul." He said smugly, but it faded when he saw the seriously pissed look on Buffy's face.

"You are so dead," Buffy said simply as she stepped up.

"No," Willow said and a shield formed around her and Warren that locked Buffy and Tara on the outside. She took a step toward Warren, her eyes as black as night. "I need him alive. For now."

Warren swallowed hard as he backed away from Willow. "I… I hope you don't think that scares me."

Willow grinned as she took another step forward. "I know it does. Of course if you knew what I needed you for you'd be screaming by now."

Warren backed into the shield that separated him from Buffy. "And what's that?"

"As a sacrifice for the Rituals of Al-siok, of course. You see, you killed my girlfriend," as Willow spoke black magic flashed between her fingers, "so it's only fair you die to bring her back."

"I didn't mean too!" Warren shouted. "It was an accident!"

"You think that makes it better?" Willow demanded as she grabbed Warren. "You think that'll save you? Nothing'll…" Her voice died and she cocked her head to one side to look at him better. "I don't believe this."

"I have a message from the master," the Warrenbot grinned as his hands flashed through the air and closed around Willow's, holding in her place. 'Fall down, go boom.'"

"Willow!" Buffy and Tara shouted together as the Warrenbot exploded. Willow didn't blink, not even when the fireball changed to black rose petals that swirled around the domed shield and made it look like she was standing in a huge snow globe.

"That damned weasel." Willow muttered to herself as she dropped the shield and started down the long road back to town.

Tara stumbled as the shield fell, but caught herself and ran after Willow. "You can't, you've got to calm down and think!"

Willow stopped and glared at her ex. "Oh, I've been thinking. Thinking about how if you and Giles hadn't tried to stop me from doing magic I would've been strong enough to save Amy. All you did was stand in my way cause you're jealous."

"You know that isn't true," Buffy said. "They only wanted to help."

"If you want to help, stay out of my way." With that Willow vanished.

Buffy stared at the empty air, then turned to Tara. "What's the ritual?"

Tara fell to the ground and began to explain as she watched the sun set. "Last summer, when we were trying to… We found a few different resurrection spells. The rite of Osiris was just the only one that didn't need a sacrifice, so that's the one we chose. But now the urn's busted and... The Rituals of Al-siok are dark magic. Darker even than what Willow used to fight Glory last year. If she does it she might not come back."

"That all sounds nice, but what does it mean in Californian?"

Tara shot Buffy a look. "The rituals need human sacrifices to work."

"You don't expect me to care that Warren gets what he deserves, do you?"

Tara shook her head. "If it was just him… We'd still try to stop Willow because it'll cost her more than she knows. But its not."

Buffy looked away. "How many?"

"At least three. But the more the better."

Buffy swallowed hard. She'd lost so much over the years, she didn't want to loose Willow too. "Then we just have to stop her."

Tara giggled as she ran her hand through the desert sand. "Have you seen what she's been doing? She's hooked into things I've never even dreamed of. She could kill us now if she wanted to."

"But she's Willow."

"Yeah," Tara said, but didn't look reassured.

"We just have to find Warren before she does."

Tara watched the sun set. "We'd better get Spike then. We'll need him."

Buffy nodded. "But how do we find Warren?"

"Follow Willow."

"How."

Tara smiled as she thought of better times. "I can always find Willow."

"Not the bleedin' woods again," Spike growled as the three of them followed a tiny ball of light as it flitted between the trees. "Couldn't he have hid in a warehouse like any other self respecting big bad?"

"Not everyone has your sense of ascetics Spike," Buffy said.

"Shame too." Spike said. Then he looked over at Tara. "Are you sure this'll get us to Red, Pet?" Tara nodded as she tried to concentrate on the spell. "Then why couldn't you do the same with Warren?"

"I needed a connection," Tara explained.

"What if she came out here for the scenery? I don't think that we're just going to trip over the bugger."

"Help!" They all heard the cry in the distance and turned to it. "Somebody help me!"

Then they saw the light flash in the same direction as the voice. "Might be wrong," Spike muttered as they started running.

Then the bushes ahead of them rustled and Warren came running out. He was favoring his right leg, which had a bright red gash in it, and looking over his shoulder in terror. Then he turned and saw the people running towards him and grinned in relief. "Help! She's nuts, she's… Oh hell." He slid to a stop in front of Buffy.

Buffy looked in his eyes and all she saw was Anya and Xander lying on the ground in their own blood. In that moment she knew why she hated Warren. It wasn't just because of what he had done, but because he was the first person who had ever made her feel truly and utterly helpless. And he wasn't a monster, a demon, any of the things she'd been taught to hate. He was just a loser with a gun who had almost destroyed everything she loved.

Buffy Summers disappeared in that moment of revelation.

The next sound she heard was the pounding of her own heart as it screamed, "SLAYER!" into her ear. Then she felt herself tearing at arms that were holding her in place, and the voice shouted again and this time she knew it wasn't her heart.

"What? God, Spike, I'm not deaf." Buffy shot back as she relaxed in his arms. She was so tired all the sudden, and her hands were sore. Spike was the only reason she was still standing and he held her with all the gentleness of a straightjacket.

Spike waited a few more moments then carefully let her go. She thought she had somehow slipped back to that afternoon, especially when she saw Tara kneeling over a body on the ground. But there was only one body, not two. "What happened?"

"You did," Spike said. His voice was a heady mix of respect and awe.

"What?"

Tara looked over her shoulder at Buffy, but the only emotion on her face was fear. Then she took a half step to the side and Buffy saw the body on the ground clearly in the moonlight. It was Warren.

Buffy wanted to turn away, but she couldn't. His nose was nearly flattened and was bleeding like a busted faucet. One side of his face was already rising in a bright purple bruise that was so big it kept him from opening his right eye. Buffy's gaze flowed down his body and saw that his left arm had at least two extra joints in it now. "How?"

"You did it all," Tara said, her voice broken. "He came running out of the woods and you just… Spike pulled you off him the second he saw what you were doing…"

Spike hesitated, then put his hand on Buffy's shoulder. "Don't worry, Slayer - Buffy. Ponce had a lot more than that comin' to him if you ask me."

"No one deserved that," Buffy said as she looked down at her hands. She knew Spike, had fought him often enough to know what he could do. She did all that to Warren in less than a minute. "Oh my God."

Warren whimpered as he woke up. He opened his good eye and started screaming, which came out as a wet burbling sound through the blood. Buffy almost ran from that scream until she realized he wasn't looking at her. She turned.

"You rang?" Willow asked as she floated in the air behind Buffy, her short red hair fluttering in the breeze of a windless night. She looked Warren over, then grinned at Buffy. "Way to get into the spirit."

"I didn't mean…" Buffy began as she pushed her hair out of her eyes.

"Keep telling yourself that. At least you'll believe it. The rest of us know better, don't we guys?" Willow said, her smirk frozen on her face as she landed on the ground in front of Warren and Tara.

Tara stood up and absentmindedly brushed the grass off her blue pants as she glanced at Buffy and Spike. They nodded and she turned to face Willow. "He needs a doctor."

"He really doesn't," Willow contradicted happily and her voice got more singsong as she went on. "He needs to be eaten alive by maggots, to have his liver torn out and, who knows, maybe be skinned alive, but the last thing he needs is a doctor."

Warren tried to scuttle back into the brush, but a vine pulled itself loose from a tree and wrapped itself around his neck, tightening enough to make his eyes bulge. Willow stepped past Tara and took the other end of the vine. "Come on, puppy. Time to play."

"Leave him alone," Tara snapped as she grabbed Willow by the shoulder.

Willow spun around, her eyes so black they seemed to glow. "Don't touch me," she said and Tara flew back like she'd been struck by a bat. Spike barely managed to catch her out of the air before she hit a tree. "Don't you ever touch me again."

Spike set Tara on the ground like she was made of china. He had his game face on when he looked up. "Do whatever you like to the git, but no one touches my lady." With that he snarled and launched himself at Willow.

Willow caught him out of the air by his throat. He tried to pull himself free, but she tightened her grip and his limbs went dead. She stared into his feral eyes and asked, "Is she really worth it, Spike? I mean, her stuttering starts out cute, but doesn't it just grate after a while?"

"Not as annoying as your asinine speeches, luv. Or your poor me act."

He felt more than heard Willow growl, and her hand tightened on his throat before she forced herself to relax. "You mean poor Spiky. Not a man, not a monster. Just another broken toy. Well," Willow leaned in and whispered into his ear like a lover. "I can fix that." Spike winced as he felt something burning in his head. Then Willow held her free hand up in front of his eyes and he saw the small circular chip in her hand. "All better. Now, do what the monster's supposed to do."

Spike dropped to the ground and felt his limbs come back to life. He turned and saw Tara still lying on the ground, her neck stretched back and so pale and lovely in the dark. He could almost taste her as he took a step forward.

"Love to," Spike said as he spun around on his heal and buried his fist in Willow's face. She went flying backwards and he was on her before she even hit the ground. "I may not be a man, but I'm not half the monster you are," he howled as he hit her again and again and again. "You said you loved her, you bitch!"

"Stop," Willow said, and he did. She got out from under him and tasted the blood that dripped down from her nose. "Not bad. But all this," she said and waved her hand in front of her face. When it passed her face was healed. "Doesn't mean a thing. Just like you." With that Spike went flying backwards and slammed into a tree. Then Willow waved again and he flew forward and hit another tree face first.

"You were always a waste, Spike. Not even a teeny tiny bad. Just a pathetic little lost poet who wanted to play with the big boys," Willow taunted as she used Spike for a pinball even though he was already unconscious.

Spike stopped in midair and dropped bonelessly into a pile of bushes that sprang out of the ground right beneath him. "What about me?" Tara asked, her eyes were as white as Willow's were dark and her dress rippled around her legs in the wind that suddenly filled the clearing "What am I?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Buffy and Warren ran as fast as they could into the woods, but his bad leg slowed them down to what felt like a crawl. He had his arm wrapped around her shoulder for support, but even then he just couldn't keep up. Finally he collapsed to the ground and gasped for air.

"We've got to keep moving," Buffy said as she glared down at him. "I don't know how long Spike and Tara can hold her off."

"Should've thought of that before," Warren said between breaths and scowled as well as he could. "Don't know what her problem is anyway."

"You killed her girlfriend today when you tried to kill me." Buffy said as she absently rubbed at the almost healed scar above her left elbow.

Warren shrugged. "Casualties of war." Then he leered at her. "What about you're two sex toys? I heard on the news I got them, too."

Buffy kicked him in the side of the chest just hard enough to bruise a rib. "Don't you even think about saying that again."

"Why not?" Warren started to giggle, then moaned and grabbed his side. "I saw what the three of you did in the Magic Box. We all did. Made Sparky's day too." Buffy gritted her teeth together, but knew she couldn't hurt him anymore if they were going to keep running.

Warren just smirked as pushed himself up with his good hand. "I have to hand it to you though, the three of you went at it like pros." He leered at her black leather pants and tight blouse that she'd put on when they stopped at Spike's. "Too bad we forgot to take the tape with us when we bugged out."

Buffy turned and punched a tree hard enough to crack the bark. When she turned back she was much calmer. "I love them. They love me. That's all you need to know." She said as she pulled him up. "And if you can talk you can run."

Warren ran, but looked confused. "Why?"

"Are we helping you?" Buffy finished the question for him. "I'm not. I'm helping Willow. That and I want to see you spend the rest of your life as some big butch guy's bitch."

"Where?" Warren asked as his face grew redder and redder. The pace Buffy was setting would've tired an athlete, which Warren wasn't even on his best of days. Buffy knew it and sped up just a little bit more. If she had to she'd drag him.

"Somewhere we can hide. With any luck it'll still have weapons and maybe even a few supplies for Tara."

Warren didn't ask any more questions, he was too busy trying to breath. It was a good thing too, Buffy was this close to deciding he didn't need a jaw to run. Then they finally broke through the woods and into the overgrown back yard of a large art deco style mansion.

"Wow," Warren said when he finally caught his breath. "Wish we'd known about this place."

Buffy didn't answer, but her stomach tightened as she led him into the mansion. Some of the best and worst events in her life had taken place here and she'd never thought she'd be back. No one, not even other demons had ever moved in. The fact that it was Angelus' assured that. At least that was what she thought until she got into the living room.

"Amy," Buffy whispered as they hobbled over to where Amy laid. She was lying stretched out on a twin bed and had what looked the world's largest collection of flowers surrounding her. Her hands were joined over her stomach and held a red rose to her heart. Her eyes were closed and she looked like all she needed was a kiss to wake up. "She's waiting for her princess charming." Buffy looked around the room and saw dozens of books and magic supplies and knew they were in the exact wrong spot.

"You?" Willow repeated as she stared at Tara. "I love you."

"Have a funny enough way of showing it."

The black in Willow's eyes faded to her normal green as she consciously avoided looking at Spike. "I'm sorry about what… I just freaked."

Tara shook her head. "You're say that like it fixes everything, but it doesn't. And you're not. You never change."

"It's never enough for you, is it?" Willow all but howled in frustration. "I'm the one who saved you from Glory. Made your brain go tick tock again."

"So you could play around with it later. I want to know, how many times did you violate me? Just once, twice? Or was it every single time I said I didn't like what you were doing."

A shadow of regret passed over Willow's face as her eyes went black again. "Just twice." Then she sighed and told the simple truth. "I still love you."

"I know," Tara answered, just as truthfully as they stared at each other from across the clearing.

Willow winced, then nodded.

Lightning flashed from her fingertips and flew at Tara. "I won't let you stop me."

Tara took a half step back as a shield formed in front of her. The lightning crawled across the invisible barrier, looking for even the smallest opening but finding none. "I won't let you kill him." Tara replied and threw her arm forward. A blue, almost liquid blob shot out of her hand and wrapped itself around Willow.

Willow waved her hand, breaking the stasis spell before it could complete itself. "I thought you didn't like magic anymore."

Tara shook her head. "Magic was never the problem. It's all in how you use it." Roots shot out of the ground and wrapped themselves around Willow, cocooning her inside.

"I'll use it any way I have to to save Amy," Willow said as the vines died and turned to dust. Then she blinked and spread the aging spell to the trees that surrounded Tara. The trunks turned to dust and the unsupported canopy collapsed.

Tara raised her arms up and caught the trees while they were still high overhead, but she bent down like she was supporting the weight on her shoulders. Finally she twisted and the trees fell harmlessly around her. "Amy's just an excuse. Everything's just an excuse for you to do what you want to." The ground beneath Willow became quicksand and started to pull the witch down.

"Like you don't want power," Willow said as she mud became stone and she stepped out. "I saw the need in you ever since your family visited. You're just too afraid to admit it." The stone became glass that shattered under Willow's heel and flew at Tara.

The shards became butterflies and fluttered away. "This isn't a-about me."

Willow grinned. "Sure it is, honey. It's all about you. You hate me because I'm willing to use what I know, while you try to hide it." Willow settled to the ground, the magic forgotten. "I know about everything you try to hide. Even how you hate your mother."

"I-I don't…" Tara said and the glow in her eyes dimmed.

"She's the one who left you alone. She had the power to stop your father, but she just took it because she thought power was evil." Tara's mouth moved, but no sound came out. "And you hated her for giving in. That's why you let her die."

"I- I didn't…"

Willow walked forward, and Tara tried to back away, but tripped over a tree branch and fell to the ground. Willow loomed over her, her face in shadows. "You could have saved her, but you just let her die because you hated her for teaching you to hate yourself."

"I LOVED MY MOMMY!" Tara screamed as she jumped up and slammed into Willow, driven by hate and magic. The two of them tumbled end over end until they stopped with Willow on the bottom and Tara kneeling over her, her hand raised for one last conjuring.

Willow grinned up as she touched the four bloody gouges Tara had torn into her cheek. "See? Doesn't the power feel so good? Why fight it? Why fight me?"

Tara looked down at Willow, then reeled back in horror at what she'd been about to do. "I'm sorry, I don't want to hurt you…"

"Well, that's just too bad," Willow said and leaned up suddenly to kiss Tara. It was as passionate as any of their kisses had ever been and left Tara even more off balance when Willow finally pulled away. "You know what I learned these last six years? Why black magic is so much stronger than white?" Tara just shook her head, more to clear it than anything else. "Because black magic cheats." Willow shoved her fingers into the muddy ground

Tara barely felt the threadlike snake that erupted from the ground and wormed its way up her leg and under her skirt. She tried to grab it as it wrapped around her thigh, but it squirmed through her fingers and bit down into her secret spot, the one that only Willow and Spike knew about. She stiffened as its magical venom burned through her body, increasing the feeling a thousand times over. She opened her mouth to scream in the agony and the ecstasy, but nothing came out.

Willow rolled Tara's slack body off to the side and sat up. She sat up and looked down at her ex, the blond Wicca was staring up at the moon with vacant eyes while a small trail of drool ran down the side of her mouth.

"Sorry baby," Willow murmured as she kissed Tara's forehead and stood up. Tara didn't even blink.

Willow looked around the clearing. She knew Tara wouldn't be getting up any time soon. Neither would Spike, his face had more in common with hamburger than anything demon or human. Then she realized who was missing. "Oh, come on," Willow whispered and kicked at the ground in frustration. "Does she have to make everything so difficult?" With that Willow vanished.

"We have to go," Warren said.

His voice pulled Buffy out of her reverie. She look up from Amy and snapped, "Shut up."

"You shut up," Warren snapped back. "This is all you're fault, you know. If you'd just let me handle April and Katrina last year…"

"What? Katrina'd still be alive?" Buffy asked, Warren recoiled away and his hand touched the faint scar by his left eye. "Willow told me about what you did to her. You really have a problem with strong women, don't you?"

"She was just jealous," Warren said as he looked away. "She tinkered around with model monorails while I was building androids. She just couldn't deal."

"So you crushed the back of her skull in."

"She deserved it," Warren all but screamed as his patience ran out. "You all deserve it."

"You're a monster," Buffy said and felt the guilt of what she'd done vanish.

Warren just grinned. "Maybe, but I'm not the monster we're worried about, am I? We're worried about your oh so stable friend. And this'll be the first place she checks."

Buffy wanted to kill him right there, but she knew he was right. So she turned her back on Amy and threw his arm over her shoulder. They didn't get two steps before Willow appeared in front of them.

Willow cocked an eyebrow. "I haveta admit. I didn't think you'd be this helpful, Buffy."

"Not intentional. Where's Spike and Tara?"

"Around."

Buffy felt her stomach tighten again. "As in alive around or dead around?"

"They'll be fine. Eventually."

"Like Xander and Anya?" Buffy asked as she let Warren go

The shadows on Willow's face grew. "I did the best I could, do you think it was easy…" Then she sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Are you going to stand there all day? I have rituals to perform. Dark gods to envoke. Takes time."

"How do you know Amy isn't in heaven?"

"She isn't. Trust me."

"Sure. Cause you guessed so well last time."

"That's what all this is about, isn't it? You're still all pissed that I brought you back. That's why you hate me."

"I don't hate you. You're my best friend," Buffy said.

"Didn't your mom teach you not to tell lies?" Willow scolded. "Let me tell you about Willow. She's a loser. Loser in middle, high and college. And you know why? Because she let everyone just walk all over her in the hopes that they'd be her friend. In the beginning because of her brain, later because of her power."

"You're not a loser," Buffy protested.

Willow giggled in her best impression of the Joker. "Please. The only reason you ever hung out with me was to use me. Well, guess what? I'm tired of being the sidekick."

"You're my best friend."

"Sure. That's why you went running to Xander and Anya. You've hated me since I pulled you out of your precious heaven. You self-centered bitch. And after that you hated me because I'm so much stronger than you are. I tried to help out. Amy and I went out every night to cover for you while you got back on your feet. How was I supposed to know you'd rather be on you're back?"

Buffy shook away the tears that threatened to run down her face. "This isn't you, Willow. It's the magic, you have to stop."

Willow took a half step towards Buffy. "Why don't you just admit it. The only reason you want me to stop is because you can't stand to be second best."

"That's not true. It's warping you. Why can't you see that?"

"Why can't you see that what you're doing with Xander and Anya is wrong. And I can see plenty," she said and as a barrier spell formed around the doors and windows, locking in Warren who was almost back to the front door.

"Amy wouldn't want you to do this, Willow. She wouldn't want you to kill so she could live."

"And how would you know?"

"I just do."

"Right, because Buffy Summers is known for her smarts."

"You think you're so special? You think that you're the Slayer just because you killed a few demons? I'm going to show you what a Slayer really is," Buffy snapped as she launched her attack on Willow. Her body flowed from style to style as she let loose dozens of kicks, punches and even head butts on Willow. Giles would've been proud, she'd never fought so well against anyone.

Willow blocked most of the opening punches, but then one of Buffy's kicks hit her in the side of the head. That threw her off just enough for Buffy to land two more punches and Willow fell backwards onto the ground.

Buffy looked down at Willow, "We don't have to do this, Will. I don't want to hurt you."

"It's always about what you want, isn't it?" Willow asked as she wiped her bloody lip. "'I'm the chosen one, the only one that matters. You even revel in your suffering, like it matters so much more. I think its time you found out what suffering was."

"I've always known," Buffy said calmly. "You're the only one who thinks it's something new." She threw a punch at Willow's face and watched as it passed right through. She pulled her hand back in shock.

The illusion grinned at her. "See, that's always been you're problem, Buffy. You always thought brawn meant so much…"

The image vanished and Willow's voice restarted behind her. "But I think we both know brains are better." Buffy spun around and saw the untouched Willow standing behind her. Willow's smile matched her illusions. "Now, I thought you were going to show me what a Slayer really was."

"Stop playing around and just kill her already!" Warren howled at Buffy in frustration as he turned from the blocked door.

Buffy tried to ignore him. "I don't want to kill you, Willow."

"Fine, then I will," Warren said as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the pistol again. He had just enough time to aim when Willow's eyes flashed and the pistol exploded. He fell to the ground screaming as he clutched his bleeding hand.

"You still had it?" Willow snarled and a ball of fire appeared in her hand. "Burn," she said and brought her arm back.

Buffy kicked Willow just as Willow launched the fire, throwing off her aim. "NO!" Willow shouted as the spell flew and hit Amy's bed of flowers. It erupted in mystical flames and Sleeping Beauty's bed became her funeral pyre.

"What did you do?" Willow hissed as she turned to face Buffy. "I saved yours but you wouldn't let me… You worthless little whore." Buffy took a step back, and Warren launched himself onto Willow's back.

"Kill her!" He shouted as he tried to choke Willow with his good arm. Before Buffy could react he flew off Willow's back like a startled bird and slammed into the ceiling. Then Willow let him go and he fell the ten feet back to the hard stone floor. The double impact was almost too much, but somehow he stayed conscious. So he was awake when the skin on his hand started to peel back. Buffy turned away and tried not to sink to the floor while she listened to the slow slurp behind her as Warren screamed and screamed.

"Bored now," Willow finally said and Warren's body burst into flames. He got out one last scream before he vanished.

Willow turned and snapped her fingers at Buffy. Then it was like the air had become a hammer and Buffy went flying across the room and into the far wall.

Buffy shook her head and tried to pick herself up, but the vines that grew along the wall pulled free and snaked around her arms and legs. Then they pulled back until she was hanging a foot off the ground, her arms spread and her legs tied together. She tried to pull herself loose, but the smooth vines grew dozens of thorns that dug into her skin

Buffy still pulled with all she had until the vines were slick with her blood, but she was pinned. Willow finally stopped in front of Buffy and admired her artwork. "What do you think? I'm hoping the NEA'll give me a grant."

"It's not too late," Buffy murmured as she pulled on the vines one last time, but they were too tight and she couldn't get any leverage.

Willow ignored her. Instead she walked up and started unbuttoning Buffy's blouse. "Remember last year when we were fighting Glory and I had to steal Tara's essence back?" She undid the last button and pulled the blouse open with an almost hypnotic slowness. Then she ran her hands over Buffy's tight stomach from the belt of the pants to just below the bottom of Buffy's black bra. Buffy struggled again for all the good it did her. "Did I ever tell you that when I did I tasted Glory's power? It tasted like ashes dipped in honey. And you know what? Ever since then I've wondered something. I've wondered what a Slayer tastes like."

With that Willow pulled her hands back and buried her fingers into Buffy's stomach, right above her hips. Buffy screamed as she felt the fingers move inside her. A pure white light burst around the holes the ten invaders made in her body. She struggled again even though she felt the strength being drained out of her.

It felt like hours had passed when Willow finally pulled away. Buffy collapsed and hung lifelessly in the vines. Willow licked a finger and sighed. "Minty, but no where near as filling as I'd hoped. Oh well." She grabbed Buffy's chin and lifted her up so she could see into Buffy's eyes. "You said you were in heaven? Then its past time you visited hell." Buffy eyes widened as the world collapsed into the black void that was Willow's soul.

The last thing she heard was Willow saying, "One down."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The heat from the three suns was horrible, and the rocky ground acted more as a frying pan than a shelter. But what were far worse were the voices.

"WORTHLESS! USELESS! LIAR! SLUT!" They all melted together and shook the earth around her. The worse thing was that Buffy knew each and every voice. It was the people who she knew and had died because of her.

Buffy crouched in the middle of a field, her hands clamped over her ears in a desperate attempt to quiet the accusations. And her eyes were glued shut with her tears so she wouldn't have to face the people she had failed.

But it didn't last. One of them landed a vicious slap on her cheek that knocked Buffy down. She finally opened her eyes and saw Jenny Calendar standing over her with a look of absolute contempt. "Rupert and I would have been happy if it wasn't for you, you selfish, petty little..." Jenny's rage strangled out the last of her words.

"I'm sorry," Buffy whispered, but the apology just incensed the ghosts more and another took Jenny's place.

"People accepted that I was gay," a familiar voice said. Buffy looked up and saw Larry, who was just looking at her in pity. "I was going to college, even had a scholarship. Slaying demons was your job, but you couldn't deal. So I died trying to help you." He turned his back on her, too disgusted to even touch her. "You were the hero, not me! You're the one who should be dead!"

Buffy wrapped her arms around her legs and cried into her knees. "I'm so sorry."

She heard the familiar swish of a leather trench coat and knew who it was without even looking up.

"Death is your gift," Angel said. "Death for everyone who touches your life. I loved you and you sent me to hell. You're the one who deserved to be here, not us."

"Angel, please," Buffy begged.

"Angel please," another voice mocked. "Angel dis, Angel dat. If you'd killed Angelus when you were supposed to I'd still be alive, Blondie."

"Kendra?"

The Jamaican Slayer glared at her in disgust. "Dat's right. Surprised you remembered. After the way you'd left me to die. You ain't worthy to be a Slayer."

Buffy buried her face into her knees and wept. She cried so hard that she didn't notice the accusing voices die down. But she jumped when she felt the hand on her shoulder. When she saw who it was she almost died. "No. Mom, please, I can't…"

"Shh," Joyce Summers said as she knelt down next to her daughter and wrapped her arms around her. She held Buffy tight to her as Buffy wept into her shoulder. "I'm so sorry, mommy."

"For what?" Joyce asked as she pulled Buffy away so she could see her daughter's face.

"For not being there when you needed me."

"You were always there," Joyce said with a kind smile as she wiped away Buffy's tears. "Not even you can change when its time to go, Buffy. But I love you and your sister, so I'm never really gone."

Buffy looked around the suddenly empty desert. "How? Willow sent me to hell?"

Joyce shook her head. "No, she didn't. This is just an illusion."

Buffy's heart sank. "Then you're?"

Joyce smiled as she pushed a lock of Buffy's hair back behind her ear. "An exception. A friend of yours got me."

"Who?"

"You'll see."

Buffy turned back to her mom and looked away in shame. "What is it, honey?"

Buffy didn't know where to begin. "I've… I'm in a relationship."

"With Xander and Anya. I know."

Buffy looked at her mother in shock. "And you're not mad?"

"Do you love them?"

Buffy nodded. "With all my heart."

"Then why would I be mad?"

Buffy hugged her mom again, but finally Joyce pushed her away. "I have to go."

Buffy sighed. "Do you haveta?"

"Curfew. Not all of us get to climb out a window," Joyce smirked, but that faded and she just looked sad. "You have to get up, Buffy. Xander and Anya, they need you right now. More than you know."

Buffy rubbed at her arms, which were starting to throb in pain. "But, Willow… She's my friend."

Joyce sighed. "I wish this wasn't up to you, Buffy. I wish that you had a normal life."

"So do I."

"But you have to stop her. And be careful. I want to see my granddaughter born this Christmas," Joyce said as she touched reached out and touched Buffy's stomach.

"Granddaughter?" Buffy asked in disbelief as she wrapped her hand over her mother's.

"Trust me on this one, sweetie. And tell your sister I love her," Joyce said as she leaned forward and kissed Buffy on the forehead. Then she was gone.

Buffy blinked, then tried to shield her eyes from the bright light that filled the room, but her hands were still held to the wall. So she squinted and realized that there was something in the glow. A woman, a very… "Cordelia?"

"What?" Cordelia asked as she dimmed her glow to just blinding. "You really think I'd forget about you? Besides, the Powers owed me a favor for updating them on the latest fashion trends. I mean togas are so over."

"You're an angel?" Buffy asked, the disbelief clear in her voice. "I don't remember Willow hitting me on the head…"

"Har, har. Looks who's almost developed a funny bone. I'll have you know I make a stunning angel. Like I wasn't all ready."

"I don't suppose you could get me down?"

Cordelia sighed. "Sorry. I can only do so much."

Buffy nodded and grinned at the unlikely angel. "Thank you."

Cordelia beamed. "My pleasure. And could you do me a big one? Tell Angel," she began, then shook her head. "Never mind, I'll tell him myself." With that she vanished.

But Buffy didn't have to wait long.

"Slayer, you all right?" Spike shouted as he limped into the living room, holding his arm and looking around with his one good eye.

"Kind of," Buffy said as she waited.

Spike took one look at her trussed up on the wall and grinned as much as he could. "Now that brings back memories."

"You're a pig."

"And proud of it," Spike said as he walked over and started breaking the vines that held her to the wall. Finally he helped her down. "You alright?"

Buffy nodded even though she felt shaky. "I think so," then she glanced at his beaten face. "What about you?"

"What, this? A couple of days and a few dozen pints and I'll be fine. Better than you, anyway. This is gonna hurt," he warned as he started to unwrap a vine from her around wrist.

Buffy whimpered as she felt the thorns pull out of her skin. "Where's Tara?"

"Over here," Tara whispered. She had her arms wrapped around herself and looked pale.

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

"Red's a dead woman, that's what happened," Spike whispered as he pulled the vine from her other. "She could beat me up all she wanted, seems to be a White Hat's job." He glanced over at Tara, who wasn't looking at anything in particular. "But no one touches my girl."

"I'll be fine, Spike," Tara whispered, but the way she was shivering called her a liar. Spike ripped off the vine that held Buffy's legs, this time without being gentle about it, then went and wrapped his arms around Tara. He tried not to look hurt when she pushed him away. "Don't touch me!" She shouted and backed away. "Please?"

Spike growled and tried to slip into his game face, but his face was too hurt to make the change. "Where is she, Buffy?"

"I don't know. She hung me out to dry and killed Warren. The last thing she said was one down."

"Two to go," Spike finished. "We better get to the prison for Warren's mates before she does."

"She isn't going to the prison," Tara said.

Buffy closed her eyes. "The hospital?"

Tara nodded and looked sick. "I never knew she was so angry, Buffy. We were together for two years and I never knew."

"We have to stop her," Buffy said and took one step forward and fell flat on her face when her legs gave out under her.

Spike pulled her back to her feet. "This isn't anytime for bloody games."

"Don't you think I know that?" Buffy said as she looked down at her legs, which were shaking with fatigue.

Spike glared at her, then sniffed the air. He frowned and grabbed Buffy's arm to look at her still bleeding wrists, then at Buffy's still open blouse. "You aren't healing. What'd the witch do to you?"

Buffy pulled her hand free and buttoned her blouse with shaking fingers. "She fed off me, like Glory used to. Said she wanted to see what Slayers tasted like."

"So we have a power-mad witch backed up with Slayer strength? You know, Mexico isn't that far off."

"No. She stuck her fingers into me," Buffy said as she put a protective hand over her stomach and the gift she carried within, "but she said she didn't get anything."

"So the cavalry's a beaten Vampire, a powerless Slayer and a Wicca in shock? The Light Brigade had a picnic compared to us."

"We have to get moving," Buffy said, trying to focus the other two. Tara didn't seem to hear her, but Spike did.

He shrugged. "What the hell. Immortality's gotten dull anyhow." It took them five minutes to find a car, and another two for Spike to hotwire it. So nearly twenty minutes had passed when they finally got to the hospital.

"Place is still standing, that's a good sign," Spike said as he stopped the car right outside the hospital, completely ignoring the bright yellow no parking signs. He glanced back at Buffy through the review mirror. "You better let me go first," he said as he opened the car door and stepped outside. Then there was a rumble that shook the car and every window in the second, third and fourth floors of the hospital exploded out. Tara and Buffy ducked down into the cheap blue seats as the glass rained down on the roof, some heavy enough to dent the thin metal.

"You just had to jinx it," Tara said when the glass finally stopped raining down.

"Silly me," Spike whispered as he drug himself into the car.

"Oh, my God, Spike?" Tara said in horror.

There were dozens of bloody cuts on his face and hands and his trench coat was all but shredded. "Might take a bit longer than I thought to get better, Slayer," Spike said as he collapsed onto the front seat.

Tara pulled him over to her lap, her earlier fear gone now that she had something else to focus on. "Just hold on, I'll make you better."

"Already made me better," Spike said, his voice was weak but he somehow still managed to sound cocky. "Made a man out of me."

Tara grinned and brushed the glass out of his short, burnt blond hair. "He was always in there. I just let him out. Now hold still." With that she closed her eyes and started to chant.

Buffy opened her door. "Take care of him. I have to…"

Spike nodded. "Go. We'll catch up."

Buffy didn't look back, she ran all out to the front door of the hospital. But her all out wasn't what it used to be, it seemed like she was crawling along, and it didn't help that she had to dodge the biggest shards of glass that covered the asphalt. She slowed down even more when she was inside. The hospital was in chaos with screaming patients and doctors and nurses running around with all the grace of headless chickens. Buffy ignored it all as she made her way to the staircase.

She also ignored the tearing feeling in her legs and the way she was gasping for breath after she raced up the three flights of stairs and came out on the intensive care ward. She pushed her way past the hospital staff as she followed the trail of destruction to the epicenter.

Which was a patient's room. She knew it was the right room because its door was blown across the hall and was lying in shambles on the floor. She doubled her pace and ran into a man who stepped out of the room right next door. .

"Excuse me," Buffy said as she tried to step around the man, but suddenly stopped. He looked familiar, even though the dark jeans and shirt didn't seem to fit. She glanced up at his face and blinked twice, just to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. "Giles?"

"Terribly sorry… Buffy?" Giles said as he looked down in wonder. Buffy didn't answer, she just threw herself in his arms. "Thank God you're all right," he whispered into the top of her head.

She finally pulled back enough to see the tears in his eyes. "What happened? Where's Dawn? Are Xander and Anya…?"

Giles nodded to the room he just stepped out of, and Buffy saw Dawn lying on the bed, her eyes closed and unnaturally still. "Dawn's in there, sleeping off a spell Willow put on her, and as for Xander and Anya - they're… they're as well as can be expected."

"And Willow?" Buffy asked as she steeled herself for a fight, then she saw the look in her eyes and felt something wither away inside her.

Giles shook his head and pinched his nose. "I thought I could save her. What happened while I was gone, Buffy? She was going to kill Xander."

"What happened?" Buffy repeated.

"I arrived too late," Giles said and he sounded so old. "She was going to curse Xander to the darkest of hell dimensions and I had no choice..."

"Why?"

"He cut her throat Buffy, but she didn't die and I was too late to stop her. So I overloaded her with the power of an entire coven."

"Then she's dead?"

Giles nodded. "Yes. The much magic all at once was far too much for a mortal to handle."

"Xander," Buffy said and went to the door. But before she went in she looked back at her Watcher. "Don't go anywhere."

"I won't," Giles promised.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The hospital room was barely recognizable. Both of the beds were flipped over and sitting in pieces against the wall while the rest of the furniture and hospital equipment had shattered in the explosive release of magic. There was even the smell of sulpher, but most of that had mercifully vanished through the large hole in the wall. Her eyes were drawn to the six-foot wide circle that was burned in the floor of the room. Then she heard a soft sob in the corner and turned.

Xander and Anya were huddled in the corner. Xander was hunched over, his eyes locked on the burnt circle while he clutched a bloody scalpel in his hand. He was rocking slowly back and forth while Anya had her arms wrapped protectively around him, one hand rubbing his back while she whispered gentle nonsense words into his ear.

Buffy stepped over the television that had been blown off its stand and stepped on a piece of glass. Anya jumped at the loud crunch it made and her eyes were as wide as a deer's in headlights when she turned. Then she saw Buffy and grinned. "Thank God." Her voice was ragged, but it was impossible to tell whether it was from crying or her injury.

It didn't matter either way. Buffy ran over and wrapped her arms the two of them, but Xander barely noticed. "It wasn't your fault, Xander."

Xander stiffened and finally saw her. "Sure it was," he said as he lifted the scalpel and let the red emergency lights flicker on the blood. "She's my best friend and I tried to kill her, just like Jessie." He took a deep breath as he made a decision. "Take care of Anya, Buffy," he said as he squirmed out of their arms and stood up.

Buffy and Anya didn't even glance at each other, they just stood up as one and blocked his blocked his path to the door. "We're not going to let you go," Anya said, her voice firm.

"You have to," Xander said, his voice raw. "I have to go before I hurt you too."

"You'd never…" Buffy began, but Xander let out a bitter bark of laughter.

"Hurt you? What do you think makes you so special? I've hurt everyone else. Mom, Dad, Jessie, Anya," he took a deep breath and continued. "And now I've killed my best friend. I don't want to hurt anyone I love again," he said and tried to force his way past them to the door.

"You didn't kill her, Xander. The magic did," Buffy said as she tried to push him back. It would have been so easy just a half hour ago, but now she wasn't sure if she could stop him even with Anya's help.

Xander took a step back and held up the scalpel again. "Magic didn't slice her open. That was all me."

"You wouldn't have done it if you didn't have to," Buffy argued. "Not unless you had no other choice. What was she going to do?"

When Xander didn't answer Anya did.

The hospital room was dark and quiet. Xander and Anya were finally alone after hours of the doctors poking and prodding after their magical healing.

"You think any of those doctors are vamps?" Xander finally broke the silence as he rubbed the three band-aids that lined the inside of his elbow.

"They do have a taste for blood." Anya played along. "Maybe when Buffy…" her voice died when she realized she broke the rules. Then Anya shook it off and continued. "Do you think she's all right?"

"The Buffster? Oh yeah," Xander said with as much confidence as he could muster. "They're probably just beating Warren up and down Main Street right now." He began to act some of it out, but gave up when he almost bounced out of the bed.

Anya giggled, then started coughing as the pain in her chest came back. "I wish Willow had done a better job."

"I'm sure she did the best she could," Xander said, which was easy for him to say. Most of his pain had vanished hours ago.

"It's just odd, like she stopped halfway…" Anya said and looked up in alarm as a haze appeared in the center of the room. "What's that?"

"I don't know," Xander said. He didn't panic, but he did start looking around the room for weapons. "But it's a bit early for Santa."

Then Willow stepped out of the haze and grinned at her two friends. "Well, isn't this sweet."

"Wills!" Xander ran over and scooped the witch up in a hug. "What's the word? Have you beaten Warren bloody yet?"

Willow cocked her head to the side like she was remembering something sweet. "You could say that."

"Then where's Buffy?" Anya asked. "And what happened to your face?"

Willow reached up and was surprised to find the four gouge marks still on her cheek. "A gift from an ex. And Buffy's hanging around."

Xander missed the worried look on Anya's face as his own fell. "Dawn told us about Amy. We're so sorry."

Willow's happy little smile faded as Dawn came running through the door. "Willow, did you get…"

"Soporifer," Willow commanded.

Dawn's eyes slammed shut and she collapsed to the floor. Anya shoved herself further up the bed while Xander ran over to Dawn. He found her pulse, but it felt slow. "What the hell?" Xander shouted. "What did you do?"

Willow shrugged. "She'll be alright. Better than her sister, I bet."

Anya slapped down on the light switch and glared into Willow's black eyes. "What did you do to her?"

"Buffy always acted like a martyr, so I gave her what she wanted."

Xander's eyes went wide. "What?""

Willow shook her head and leaned over like she was talking to a bunch of six year olds. "Don't worry, she's still alive. At least she will be if Spike and Tara find her soon enough. After all, I didn't want her to miss this." With that Willow sauntered over Anya.

"Why?" Anya asked as she backed away until she hit the metal headboard.

"Why?" Willow repeated as she stood over Anya. "I could've saved Amy, but she was too self righteous. 'You can't kill Warren just to save Amy! That would be wrong,'" Willow parroted with disgust. "She took my sweetie, so I'm going to take hers. Only sounds fair, doesn't it?" With that the two bullets floated out of Willow's pocket and hung in midair in front of her. "You understand that. Don't you, Anyanka?"

Then Xander tackled Willow from behind and wrapped his arms around her. "You can't do this, Willow, it isn't in you."

Willow didn't struggle, she just reached down and ran her hand over his bare leg. "Love your new outfit, Xand. Almost makes me want to switch teams, but I've done that enough for one day."

Xander blushed and jumped back as what she said sunk in. "You don't have to do this Will. You're not alone. I love you no matter what you did."

Willow smirked and spun around to face him while Anya glanced between the two of them and got ready to move, just in case. "That's it? That's the master plan? You're going to stop me by telling me you love me?

Xander grinned at her. "Well, I was going to walk you off a cliff and hand you an anvil, but it seemed kinda cartoony."

Willow shook her head in disbelief. "Still making jokes."

Xander got deathly serious. "I'm not joking. I know you're in pain. I can't imagine the pain you're in. I know you're about to do something apocalyptically evil and stupid and hey, still want to hang. You're Willow.

Willow flinched when he said her name. "Don't call me th-"

"First day of kindergarten you cried 'cause you broke the yellow crayon and you were too afraid to tell anyone. You've come pretty far, killing all your friends, not a terrific  
notion but the thing is, yeah. I love you. I loved crayon-breaky Willow and I love scary Willow. So if I'm going out, it's here. You wanna kill everyone you love you start with  
me. I've earned that."

"You think I won't?"

Xander shook his head. "It doesn't matter. I'll still love you."

The blackness left Willow's eyes as she reached up with an unsteady hand to touch his cheek. "I know you love me." Xander and Anya just started to relax when Willow the smile turned into a smirk and she grabbed Xander by his throat and lifted him off the ground. "Problem is, you never loved me enough."

Xander batted at her arm while Anya started to desperately pound on Willow's back, but Willow barely noticed.

"And the problem with killing you first is then you don't get to watch."

She waited for the horror to register on his face, then threw him across the room. Xander landed hard into the cabinets in the corner and slumped to the floor, barely conscious. Then she turned to Anya.

And felt Anya's fingernails dig into her other cheek, giving Willow a matching set. "I should've let Olaf kill you," Anya hissed.

Willow touched her cheek and didn't look a bit surprise when it came back red. "Yeah, well. We all have things we regret." With that Willow plucked a bullet out of the air. "Like taking this out. But at least we can fix that."

Anya tried to roll off the bed, but the sheets came to life and wrapped themselves around her arms and legs, tying her down to the bed. Willow dropped the bullet over Anya's heart and brought her hand back. Anya almost cried in relief until she felt the pinch. She looked down and saw the bullet moving on its own.

"I wanna do this slow. Bullets usually go too fast to see the good parts, like your heart exploding and spine shattering," Willow said, her voice calm. Then she pouted. "Wish I had some popcorn, though. Can't watch a movie without popcorn."

Anya didn't say anything she just watched the bullet as it pushed a neat little dent in her gown and the skin underneath it. Then it ripped through the gown and there was the first drop of blood.

"Neat," Willow said. Then she reached up and rustled Anya's hair. "Hey, its no fun if you don't scream." Anya bit down on her lip to keep from saying anything. "How 'bout a groan? Or a moan? You're good at those. Had to turn down the speakers on my computer when I was watching the three of you at the Box."

Anya opened her eyes and glared at Willow, who just grinned and leaned over the bed so she could be nice and close. "That's the spirit."

Anya took a deep breath, which only made the bullet dig in deeper, but she still managed to say, "Your vengeance is sloppy."

"What?"

"It's crude and unimaginative," Anya grinned, then winced as the bullet sped up just a hair. "Is this really the best you could come up with? I guess you aren't the brain I thought you were."

Willow just stared at the girl in amazement. "I don't believe this! You're critiquing me?"

"Well, who better?" Anya said and almost shrugged before she caught herself. "I did do this for a millennia. And let me tell you something, this is just garbage." Willow shook her head and Anya's smile got bigger. "Oh, and you forgot something."

"What?"

Then Xander was there. He wrapped his left arm around Willow's chest while his right went higher, to her throat. The cold hospital light flashed off something metallic in his hand as he slashed it back.

Willow knocked Xander back and clamped her hand over the slice, but it didn't stop the blood from dripping down. The bullet stopped, forgotten, and Anya knocked it away as she untangled herself from the sheets. She punched Willow with everything she had, and waved her hand in agony as Willow collapsed.

"To watch your back. You're good, but you're not invulnerable," Anya said as she raced around Willow to Xander, who stood there frozen with the bloody scalpel in his hand.

"Xander?" Willow's voice asked into his mind as she turned to face him. Her eyes were pools of confusion as the front of her black blouse grew even darker now with blood.

"Will, I'm sorry," Xander said, his face pale and his hand shaking. "I couldn't… You were going to…"

"You choose her over me," Willow's said into his mind and even her thoughts had a sneer in them. "You said you loved me, but you choose her? Typical."

"Please Willow, don't make me do this again," Xander begged. He stood frozen in place as Willow stood until Anya wrapped her hands around his arm and pulled him back.

"Bite me," Willow said. Her voice was shot to hell, but it worked. She threw her arms wide and revealed the almost closed wound on her throat. "Lekko najine…" She began, and magic flowed from her hands and formed a distorted rectangle in the air between them. A hard wind filled the room and pushed Xander and Anya back until they were against the wall.

There was so much magic in the air that no one noticed the man who appeared near the door until he spoke. "Willow, no!"

Anya turned and stared at the newcomer in disbelief. "Giles?"

Willow ignored them both and continued as the air ripped open to reveal a barren landscape with two moons and a red sky. "Forkah…!"

Before she could finish Giles muttered, "God help me," and let loose a stream of pure magic that slammed into Willow's chest. Her face twisted in fear as she was forced back a step. She turned to try to block Giles' attack and felt her control slip over the portal.

"Giles, no!" Willow screamed as the rip collapsed in on itself and all the magic flowed back at her. She could have absorbed Giles' magic or the spells', but not both at the same time. She screamed one more time in agony as the energies combined and ate into her, then the room exploded.

"She wouldn't have done it," Xander said, his voice as haunted as his face. "Willow couldn't…"

Buffy looked at him and saw the doubt on his face, the doubt that would destroy him if she didn't kill it. "She skinned Warren and burned him alive. And she did something to Tara. I don't know what, but she won't let anyone touch her. She wasn't our Willow anymore."

"And you did try," Anya told Xander, but Xander just shrugged her off.

"I told some stupid story about her breaking a crayon and told her that I loved her, no matter what. I think I almost… I should have done more!" He shouted, suddenly furious at himself, and pulled away from his girlfriends' hands. "If I was a bit smarter, or quicker…" He shook his head to clear it and finally let the scalpel slip out of his fingers and drop to the floor. "That's why I have to go."

"You did everything you could," Buffy repeated as she tried to push him back. .

"Even if you go Willow will still be gone," Anya said softly. "She wanted it over. Even without my powers I could see her despair."

"She was my best friend, and I just…" Xander finally broke down and dropped to the floor.

"We all should have," Anya said as she and Buffy knelt down next to him and held him close as they waited for the tears to pass.

After a few minutes the door opened and Giles looked in. His face was drawn as he watched the three of them. "Are you all right?"

"Eventually," Buffy answered. Giles nodded, his mind somewhere else as he turned and headed back to the hall. Then she looked down at Xander. "Right?"

He squeezed Buffy and Anya's hands and nodded. "Eventually," he said, but his eyes never left the blackened tile.

"Then I better go fill him in," Buffy said as she got up off the dusty floor.

"You want us to come with?" Anya asked.

Buffy shook her head. "No. You two need your rest. Besides I wanna make a quick getaway in case he drops dead."

"Good luck," Xander said. He tried to sound cheerful, but it was just a shadow.

Buffy just leaned over to kiss them both, then she got up and walked out the door.

.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Giles was sitting on a chair he had put back right side up and dusted off as best he could. When he saw Buffy walk out he started to get up, but she waved him back down as she picked up another chair and set it down next to him. "How did you know?" Buffy asked.

"About Willow? A coven in Devon told me. They sensed a massive force, powered by rage and grief, rising in Sunnydale. I had so hoped it wasn't…, or that I might've been able to do something… Buffy, what's happened since I went away?"

Buffy wrapped her arms around herself. When it became clear she didn't know where to start he gave her a gentle prod. "Willow's been abusing magic, obviously."

"No. She hasn't. At least I… I thought she was fine after you left. Wait, not what I meant," she said when she realized what it sounded like. Giles just nodded patiently and waited for her to continue. "She told us she'd cut down on spells. And she started dating Amy, who was a real girl again."

"What about Tara?"

"They broke up the night you went back to England. Willow made Tara forget an argument about magic they had. I should have been there for them, but I was too caught up in my own life."

"You were trying to adjust. No one blames you."

"Willow did. At least that's what she told me. She said I hated her because she brought me back." Buffy shivered and tucked her legs up. "I think, she might have been right."

"Nonsense," Giles said. "You don't have it in you to hate, Buffy." When Buffy didn't answer Giles put his arm around her. "Tara, Anya and Xander participated in the spell as well, and you don't hate them. As a matter of fact, Anya was particularly frantic after…" Then he sighed and seemed to age ten years. "If you hate anyone it should be me."

Buffy looked up at him in surprise. "What, why?"

Giles looked around the ruined hospital. "I never should have left. If I'd stayed…"

"No, you were right to go. I – we needed to grow up. We were depending on you too much. You have a right to your own life too."

Giles leaned his head back and chuckled without the slightest hint of a humor. "The only thing that felt like home in England was the demons."

"It couldn't have been…"

"It was. But most of my old friends had moved on, and the other watchers were ponces. It was were I grew up, but it wasn't home."

Buffy put her hand on Giles' arm. "Well, you don't have to go again."

Giles shook his head. "I'm not needed here."

Buffy jumped up in her seat. "What?"

"It was clear even before we fought Glory. You don't need me as a Watcher."

Buffy wrapped her arms around him and pulled him towards her. "Maybe not as a Watcher, but don't ever think I don't need you. You have no idea how much I've missed you, how many things I wanted to say to you. I had to remind myself everyday you were gone."

"I'm so sorry." Giles patted her back as she cried into his shoulder. When they finally pulled apart he smiled and added, "I guess the contacts don't help me see as well as I thought."

Buffy giggled as she wiped her eyes. "But it makes you look more rugged. Like a cowboy."

"A cowboy? Blast," Giles muttered, but the corners of his mouth lifted just a fraction in pleasure at the thought. Then he leaned back in the uncomfortable plastic chair. "What else have I missed? How was the wedding? I hope they liked the flowers."

"They were lovely," Buffy assured him. "But they didn't get married."

"What, why not?"

"One of the guys Anya cursed came back for revenge. He showed Xander a nightmare view of their future and Xander called it off."

Giles frowned as he thought back to what he saw in the hospital room. "I would've thought they'd be at each others throats now. You must've been…"

Buffy took a deep breath and just jumped in. "The three of us are together now."

Giles paused and reached up to polish his missing glasses, only to grimace when he realized they weren't there. "Pardon?"

"Xander, Anya and I. We're together now."

Giles reached for his missing glasses again. "Blasted contacts," he muttered before he finally met Buffy's worried eyes. "I do believe that that's illegal in this country. In most countries as a matter of fact."

"So's breaking into an armory and stealing bazookas. Or blowing up schools. Or breaking into secret government instillations."

"True," Giles said with a patently British smile. "You better be sure, Buffy."

"I am."

Giles sighed and leaned back. "Then follow your heart. You've earned that much at the very least."

"Really?" Buffy said in surprise.

"I'm not your father, Buffy, and you're not a child anymore. I'm not going to wag my finger and tell you no."

"You're more of one than the real deal."

"And for that I'm truly sorry."

There was a commotion down the hallway and they watched as a group of orderlies pushed gurney after gurney down the hallway. "What're they doing?"

"They're evacuating the patients to Santa Dominica Hospital. A couple of chaps stopped by a few minutes ago for Xander and Anya, but I managed to buy you a few minutes."

"Thank you."

"You're more than welcome," Giles said. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Now Buffy was the one who looked guilty. "I wasn't sure how you'd react. After all, you are British."

Giles chuckled. "Well, you have to remember we sent the truly stuffy lot over here." Then he saw her confused stare and explained, "The Puritans. A dreadful bunch, terrible bores."

"Ah. Fire bad, trees pretty."

"I'll try to remember that. I take it that that was the big news?"

"Well, not really," Buffy said as she shuffled her feet on the dirty floor.

Giles cocked his eyebrow at her in curiosity and a touch of fear. "Then what is it?"

"Willow stole my slayer powers…"

Giles frowned. "I doubt that, but I'll check the books to make sure…"

"… and I think I'm pregnant."

"…"

The hospital staff finally figured out that they had extra visitors soon after and chased everyone out. Tara and Spike went back to his crypt, where she had all the supplies she needed to heal his injuries. Giles was transported back by to England by the Coven so he could pack his few belongings for the trip back to Sunnydale.

It was well after midnight when Buffy and Dawn finally got home. Buffy opened the front door and ducked under the police tape. Neither girl said a word as they looked around the nearly black living room. The floor was a mess of dried mud, a gift from the police who had walked in and out of the house looking for evidence, but the book Dawn had left on the table was still sitting there like nothing had happened. It almost felt like they'd gotten into the wrong house after the light and life that had filled it just that morning.

Buffy walked through the house with all the emotion of a robot as went to the back door. Dawn followed two steps behind her sister and tried not to look around, afraid of what else might have changed. Buffy opened the door and stepped out onto the porch while Dawn flipped on the outside light. Buffy was about to walk down the steps when Dawn grabbed her arm.

"What?" Buffy asked, her voice heavy as she looked down at the dark stain in the grass. She could almost see Xander and Anya still lying next to each other and she had to go to convince herself...

Dawn didn't answer, she just pointed down to the dried blood Buffy was about to step into. Buffy stiffened and turned away as Dawn wrapped her arms around herself and shivered in the warm night.

"I can't stay here, Buffy."

Buffy looked around the backyard and nodded. "Pack your things. We'll go home until we can clean this place up."

"Home?"

It took Buffy a moment to figure out what the problem as. "The apartment. Xander and Anya won't mind." Dawn just nodded and all but ran back inside the house. Buffy stayed a moment longer to look around, and then she followed her sister in.

The doctors kept Xander and Anya in the hospital for another two days for observation. For some reason they didn't believe in or trust magical cures. It turned out that Willow had fixed almost everything. It was almost enough to make Buffy believe that she had tried her best to help her friends. Almost, but not enough. She could still hear Anya hacking for air.

"She should have been there," Anya was saying to Xander as they walked down the hall to their apartment.

"Tara said she was fine," Xander said, but he didn't convince himself anymore than he did Anya. Finally he shook his head. "If Giles doesn't find her at the Box we'll go look ourselves," he said as he unlocked the door and they walked in.

"Look for what?" Buffy asked as she pushed herself off of the back of the couch and smoothed out her white with a pale pink print sundress.

Xander ran over and scooped her up in a bear hug. "Where were you?"

"Here. Everything… going… black," Buffy gasped in his ear.

Xander blushed and let her go. Buffy got a half a breath in before Anya got her. "You had us worried sick."

"Sorry about that, but I had to get everything ready," Buffy said.

"What?" Xander asked as he looked around and finally took in his house. Every available flat surface had a candle burning on it, and together they became a hundred little stars lighting the room. Then he turned and saw the big turkey dinner sitting at the table, which was set for three with crystal he knew they didn't have yesterday. "Is all this for us?"

"Well, kinda. I think you're going to want to sit down," Buffy said as she lead them over to the couch and sat down in a chair in front of them. Then she took a deep breath before she finally told them the news that she'd been dying to let loose. "I'm pregnant."

Xander and Anya almost jumped out of their skins. "What?" They shouted together, and followed with, "How?"

Buffy looked down and patted her stomach as she wondered for the first time how much longer it would be this flat. "When we were fighting… Well, long story short I saw mom and Cordy. Mom's the one who told me. And I went to a doctor yesterday and he confirmed it."

"I think I might need the long version." Xander blinked furiously as he tried to wrap his mind around it, but it was too much after the past few weeks. "But how?"

Buffy smiled coyly. "How do you think?"

"Then when?" Anya added.

"Our first night together. Or maybe that morning, I can't tell."

"But," Xander stuttered.

"You didn't have any protection?" Anya said. The look of wonder in her eyes completely undercut the scold in her voice.

Buffy grinned. "Well, I wasn't with anyone for a year, not including the time I was dead, so it wasn't like I was on the pill. And you two didn't have anything with you."

Now Xander really looked uncomfortable. "Anya is, and that night kind of came out of nowhere."

"I know. Trust me, no finger pointing here," Buffy said patted his knee. "Anyway, that's why I've been sick so much lately. Or at least I think it is. It could still be that awful cereal."

"We're going to have a baby," Anya whispered as she reached over and touched Buffy's stomach in awe.

Buffy grinned as she wrapped her hand over Anya's. "You can't feel anything yet."

Xander grinned back. "I don't know. You are on the skinny side."

"Just for that, you can sleep on the couch, mister."

Xander sighed. "Such is my lot in life." But then he leaned over and kissed Buffy, who was more than happy to reciprocate.

Anya ignored them. "Is it a boy or a girl?"

"It's a little early yet, hon," Xander began.

"Mom says it's a girl," Buffy interrupted.

"I don't suppose she told you any lottery numbers?"

"Sorry, no."

"How about Joyce?" Anya said suddenly. Her two lovers turned to stare and she added. "For the baby's name?"

Buffy shook her head and winced. Seeing her mom one last time had helped so much, but, "No, it's still too soon."

"Then what about Jessica?" Xander said and looked down. "For Jessie."

"Jessica Harris," Anya said.

Now Xander was the one shaking his head. "No, no more Harrisses. I think the world's suffered enough."

Anya shrugged. "I'm not like I'm attached to my name, so that'd be silly. What about Summers?"

"Jessica Summers," Buffy tasted the name, then she grinned. "I like it."

She looked up and caught their eyes and the three of them began giggling madly as they got up and danced in each other's arms.

Back at his apartment in England, Giles sat at his rickety dining room table, a cold cup of tea sitting forgotten by his hand, as he read from the Codex and tried to keep the worried look out of his eyes.

End.


End file.
